Our Clients

At GEM & Co we have a select group of clients with a broad range of backgrounds and goals. The commonality between our clients is that we have built a relationship with them through trust and experience. Below, you will find just a few of our client stories…

In 2010 I decided to sell my shareholding in a printing business. We’d grown the Company successfully and I felt it was time to relax a little with one eye on full retirement.

Chris Kiernan - Retired, Former Managing Director

Once I made the decision to retire, I discussed my requirements with three companies; one being a larger company, one my existing IFA and the other, Gareth at GEM & Co.

Building and implementing a plan

GEM & Co were far superior in their approach to financial planning, taking a much broader approach to helping me achieve my goals.

With their help, I supplied them with details of my everyday overheads and anticipated expenditure for the future. Although, at the time, I found gathering this information slightly tedious, this proved to be an extremely worthwhile exercise.

GEM & Co processed this information into their software that outlined our financial future. The results were clear and concise and extremely easy for both myself and my wife to understand. It’s allowed us to enjoy financial peace of mind in retirement.

The whole process has been handled professionally and without any pressured sales tactics.

My wife and I couldn’t be happier with GEM & Co and trust them implicitly.

Chris Kiernan - Retired, Former Managing Director

With university fees and retirement on the horizon we first met with Elliott to seek reassurance and clarity on our current and future financial plans. As accountants with two children, our eldest at university, we sought professional advice following a recommendation from our business associate in 2010.

Ian Threadgold - Chartered Certified Accountant

Building and implementing a plan

We had an initial review with Elliott who conducted a ‘stock-take’ of our current situation. We identified our goals, which put our financial situation into context with our desired lifestyle now and for the future.

Elliott then presented us with a map of our financial future, which took into account future events such as possible gap years, repayment of our mortgage and university fees. The process was comprehensive and also identified our life insurance needs and the importance of updating our Will.

What was helpful was that Elliott modelled different scenarios which looked at both best and worst case scenarios, considering future events and investment concerns – it didn’t look so bad.

Implementing the plan took a number of months, but ensured the right policies were in place and that our investment portfolio was aligned to our objectives.

Making positive choices

The difference it’s made is tangible. We’re now confident in our financial decision making. We originally considered it as a five year strategy – we got there in four and a half years. I have a warm feeling about where we’re at, we’re really pleased with where we’re now at.

We have conversations now about what we may do in the future. We can now make positive choices and that feels good.

We now meet regularly, taking account of our changing lives and ensuring we can enjoy our lifestyle and continue to plan for the future with Elliott in confidence.

All I can say is that we probably should have done it much earlier!

Ian Threadgold - Chartered Certified Accountant

It’s not always easy to exit a relationship that has been in place for almost 20 years. Concerns with our previous adviser’s independence and focus on saving and investing only, led us to seek advice elsewhere.

Michael Forbes-Smith - Former British Ambassador to Tajikistan & Former Director General of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

We started working with Elliott in 2011. It was important for us to feel comfortable and confident in his approach – an advisory relationship for us is long term.

My career with the Foreign Office had meant that I had built up capital through various savings, pension and investment plans.

My wife and I are fortunate to enjoy plenty of sailing and foreign travel. However, although we felt comfortable, we had some concerns as to whether our lifestyle was sustainable.

Building and implementing a plan

Elliott presented a clear and complete picture of our current financial position. It was far more holistic than anything we had previously experienced.

The planning process allowed us to consider what the future may look like considering different investment returns and taking into account future outgoings and events. We were able to have important conversations about how our future looked, given different scenarios.

On agreement of the plan, Elliott and the GEM & Co team made the required changes to our portfolio, ensuring they managed exposure to undue investment risk. Elliott also took into account the tax implications.

A number of investments remained with our previous provider which avoided unnecessary penalties. Elliott and the GEM & Co team handled all the paperwork which was very helpful.

Making a change – peace of mind in retirement

The thing that has most changed is that we are no longer being told to save everything we have for retirement. We’re being told we can do the things we want to do without it being a problem later on.

We are confident that we have sufficient capital to maintain our lifestyle and continue the day to day outgoings. It’s this confidence that has made all the difference.

Meeting on a regular basis, we have open conversations, ensuring that the capital remains sufficient to maintain our desired lifestyle and that our financial plan remains relevant and up to date. Our meetings ensure investments are reviewed, protecting capital and safeguarding our end goal – peace of mind in retirement.

Michael Forbes-Smith - Former British Ambassador to Tajikistan & Former Director General of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators

With my partner already retired and a final salary pension providing an element of secure income, an option to take voluntary redundancy a few years short of retirement for me was too good to turn down!

Receiving the lump sum redundancy payment compelled me to seek advice. I was keen to ensure the money was invested wisely and that I would not have to worry about whether I’d made the right investment decisions. My search for an adviser was thorough and I’m delighted to have chosen Gareth as my financial planner.

When we first met, Gareth explored what my partner and I wanted out of retirement – the life we wanted to live. Annual visits to the Edinburgh Fringe and holidays would always be part of the plan.

Building and implementing a plan

A financial plan was created that considered the pensions and investments I held, including my final salary pension. It also identified current and future outgoings. This was a very detailed exercise, although I acknowledge it’s essential to help achieve a clear and accurate outcome.

Mapping future income and expenditure enabled me to see the impact of my current spending on our future lifestyle. Seeing the results in black and white has given us the confidence to continue living the life we enjoy. That’s what I call peace of mind.

We live well, but before meeting Gareth I was nervous about spending too much. That has definitely changed. We now have the confidence to live life and meet with Gareth each year to review and update our plan.

Gareth and his team are always available and I use them as a sounding board. I wish I’d have gone to them ten years earlier!

We’re all busy; that’s the nature of today’s world. We understand that, although you’ll be earning well, proactively managing your income and personal wealth is important to you but unlikely to be high on your list of priorities with so many other demands on your time.

You’ll have goals and aims for your future, for yourself and those close to you. It could often seem as though planning a way to achieve them, to do the things in life you really want to, comes after more immediate concerns such as your holidays and your career.

It may gnaw away at you that you could be doing better with your money and recognise there must be a better way that will save you time, money and tax.

You might be retiring soon and wanting to take stock, or perhaps you’re a busy professional, with a desire to see your money go further. It may be you own a business and have complicated financial arrangements tied to your company or that you have always wanted to pursue more active investments and savings but never had the time to do so, or known where to look for the best advice.

We specialise in helping people just like you and have years of experience in knowing how to enable you to achieve what you want from life by making the most of the financial resources at your disposal. By working with us our clients find that simply taking action to work out a bespoke financial strategy helps them feel more organised, provides a greater sense of purpose to what they are doing and why, which ultimately, gives them peace of mind.

Whatever your situation, we will help you to see the big picture and then formulate a joined up financial strategy to make it happen so that you achieve your personal and family goals that will enable you to live the life you deserve.

As you’ll see from our financial process, it all starts with a conversation, if you think we may be able to help you, drop us a line. Get in touch using our contact page or call us on 020 8543 0111.